Zizeeria knysna, the dark grass blue or African grass blue, is a species of blue butterfly (Lycaenidae) found in Africa, on Cyprus and the Iberian Peninsula.
| African grass blue | |
|---|---|
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| Male | |
_underside_Principe_2.jpg)
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| both in São Tomé and Príncipe | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Zizeeria |
| Species: | Z. knysna
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| Binomial name | |
| Zizeeria knysna | |
| Synonyms | |
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Sometimes mistakenly called Zizeeria lysimon (Hübner), that species name is invalid as it is preoccupied by Papilio lisimon Stoll, [1790], a butterfly in the family Riodinidae.[2]
The wingspan is 18–23 mm for males and 21–26 mm for females.[3] The butterfly flies nearly year-round.
The larvae feed on Medicago, Melilotus, Acanthyllis, Armeria delicatula, Polygonum equisetiforme, Tribulus terrestris and Oxalis.
Gallery
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References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zizeeria knysna.
Wikispecies has information related to Zizeeria knysna.
- ^ "Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Polyommatini (part 1)". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ^ Williams, M.Afrotropical Butterflies Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
External links
edit- Butterflies of Europe
- Zizeeria at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms